Halcyon

He lifted his other arm to show the tan pennant hanging there. "Game over. Tell the Magnate, I have both flags. I claim victory."

"Most impressive," Vekken allowed, "even though Palfrun and Noryn's conscripts lack the skills of the higher Dynasts, for one man to take them all on… You have exemplary skills." Then he sighed. "However, as I tried to explain to the Lieutenant Colonel, your ignorance of our rules has led you to a sadly mistaken conclusion. Yes, the codes of engagement do state that he who holds both pennants is the victor, but the letter of the law requires that person to be a duly sanctioned soldier in the service to a noble Dynast, or an operative of the Magnate's will. And you, Ronon Dex, are neither of those. The battle continues."

Ronon came to his feet, snarling, the gun in his grip. "I won!" he spat. "Call it off!"

"I do not have that authority," Vekken said coolly. "All you have done, Runner, is ensure that there will be more bloodshed, not less."

The mood of belligerent amusement that had filled the obser vation gallery was gone now, replaced by cold fury and righteous consternation from the two opposing cliques of noblemen. Minister Muruw and the scientist Kelfer were watching and talking quietly; it seemed like they were setting up a private wager on the outcome of the day's events. Rodney saw the tension in the stances of Private Hill and Teyla, the two of them drawing closer around him, ready to fight if things turned the wrong way. McKay's fingers twitched nervously, and he gripped a mounted telescope to give them something to do; something other than stray to the holstered pistol on his belt.

Violence was ready to ignite here at the drop of an ornate hat. "One wrong word and these guys will be at each other's throats," he whispered. "It's like being in the stands at a hockey game."

"More like Rangers versus Celtic," said Hill. "Stick close if it kicks off."

Linnian accepted a teleprint from one of the servants and studied it gravely. "Observers in the north quadrant report that the Runner appears to have secured the second pennant." He blinked, as if he wasn't sure of what he'd just said aloud.

The Magnate gave a small smile but said nothing. The turn of events appeared to be entertaining him.

A chorus of denials and angry retorts came from Noryn's group, although the baron himself said nothing, kneading the grip of his sword.

Palfrun stepped forward, and drew a cluster of metal rods from inside his coat. "My Lord Magnate, I petition you."

"No!" cried Noryn, eyes wide with shock, "Do not say it!"

Palfrun ignored his adversary. "This tender represents a group of my holdings. I bid them in request to engage your favor."

Linnian took the rods and counted through them; Rodney suddenly understood that these were the Halcyon equivalent of coins or paper money, perhaps even deeds or tokens of ownership. Erony's adjutant nodded at the Magnate and the rods vanished into his tunic.

Noryn was shaking his head. "This… This is not fair!"

"You may make a counter-offer, if you wish," said Linnian. "Speak now, Baron, if that is your intention."

"You know I cannot!" Noryn thundered. "The poor harvest after the storms in Gethil Province, the loss of my hunt splinters in the last sojourn… I have no resources to spare!"

"Then you should not have sought to engage me!" replied Palfrun. "I am willing to take this to the certain conclusion… Unless you will concede?"

"To you? Never!" Noryn went for his sword, but a nod from Linnian made sure that the Baron's own cohorts stayed his hand. The man's face fell. "Please, I beg of you…"

"Do not be so weak," Palfrun was disgusted. "Accept the inevitable."

"What are they on about?" said Hill quietly. "I can't follow this posh twaddle."

"I believe he is paying Daus to intervene in the battle." Teyla replied.

"Bribing the referee? That's a bit rough," said the soldier.

Baron Palfrun bowed to Daus. "I humbly ask that I might call upon my Hounds to deliver the final blow in this honor engagement."

The Magnate considered the request. "The codes do not allow Hounds in a skirmish of this size, Palfrun; but then, the play of today's events has made this anything but a common battle. I will endorse this petition. You may deploy your Hounds."

Palfrun bowed again and gestured to one of his men, who ran off to give the order. Rodney saw that Baron Noryn had gone pale, shrinking against the glass windows. The handful of other nobles who didn't wear the same colors as his men detached themselves from his group and drifted away. Even though McKay didn't understand the full dynamics of the situation, the meaning was clear; Noryn was finished.

Moments after Palfrun's adjutant had relayed his master's command, Rodney saw the shape of a large gyro-flyer rattle over the tree line and drop into the combat zone. He scrutinized it through the telescope. Powder blue insignia lined the sides of the aircraft. The flyer dropped into the middle of the fighting and ramps fell open from it. Figures emerged; they wore glitter ing armor plates of silver metal, with full helmets designed after the shape of a wolf's head. Light blue scarves hung from their necks. Most of them were unarmed, but those that were only carried melee weapons; curved, cutlass-style swords or battle axes with diamond-shaped heads. They waded into the fight like berserkers, attacking anything that moved with feral intensity. McKay looked away, sickened.

Hill kept watching. "That must be their heavy mob."

"We have to get Sheppard and Ronon out of there," began Rodney, turning to Teyla. "We-" McKay's words died in his throat as he saw the look on the Athosian woman's face. Her eyes were distant, locked on some horror that only she could see. "Teyla?"

"Oh no," she whispered.

Dex's attack on the second bunker had caused a momentary lull in the battle, as troopers on both sides hesitated while news of the Runner's interference spread across the lines. Sheppard and the others emerged from a trapdoor on the hillside to an odd quiet broken only by the sporadic crack of shot and the lazy murmur of the engines on Daus's airship. Ronon was the first to see the gyro-flyer deploying the new arrivals.

"What's this?" he demanded, still holding both pennants in his fist.

Vekken's entire posture shifted the moment he saw what Dex was pointing at. "It would seem that the Magnate wishes to bring this engagement to a swift conclusion. He's given Palfrun leave to release the Hounds."

"Dogs?" said Sheppard. "What, are we supposed to make like foxes now?"

Sunlight glinted off metal plate armor. "I saw them when we arrived at the palace," said Ronon, "a squad of armored warriors."

Vekken shook his head. "No, those were Hounds from the Lord Magnate's personal kennel. The Fourth Dynast wields the largest pack on Halcyon. Those who join us now are from Palfrun's paltry stock. I imagine that may be all he has."

Sheppard squinted through his field binoculars. "They're wearing Palfrun's colors, and-" The colonel gasped as he saw one of the Hounds kill two tancoats in as many seconds with brutal attacks. The others were fighting with wild abandon, shredding flesh with iron claws fixed to their chain mail. "They're slaughtering those kids out there!" He turned on Ronon. "Give him the flags. Vekken, take them! You win, just tell Daus to call them off!"

The adjutant gave Sheppard a pitying look. "It does not matter, Lieutenant Colonel. The Hounds are wild animals. They are simply set loose with one order in mind, and they kill and kill until it is achieved, or until they are beaten back."

"You're down here, too," snapped Ronon. "Doesn't your lord and master care if they kill you?"

Vekken smiled. "Lord Daus clearly has great faith in my will to survive."

Dex turned to Sheppard. "Looks like that leaves us with only one option, then." He drew his gun and his sword.